Monday, October 26, 2009

I would like to congratulate the WINNERS of my latest giveaway!! The lucky readers to "POP out of the (technological) Hat" are................(all these dots represent a little drumroll)........

1. Malibubunny2. Ruth S.3. Painter Mommy

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You may each choose 1 print (up to 8"x12") from my Etsy Shop and email me (within my blog profile, just click "email" under Contact) and let me know what address to send the print to. Have fun choosing! :)

And, now, regarding the requests to see photos from the multi-day shoots that delayed the posting of winners...

Though I'm thrilled and extremely proud of them, I can't post photos from the YOGA/PAINTING SHOOT just yet-- there is an agreement among the models, artists, and myself not to release yet for assorted reasons. But those will be up on My Flickr page as soon as possible. However, I CAN post a few from my "Sierra Nevada Fall" shoot... :)

And yes, that IS **SNOW** you see... we camped overnight-- it was a little chilly! And by "a little chilly" what I really mean is, "Awww, Jeez, WHY did I not remember GLOVES?!" Anyway, it WAS beautiful and I very much enjoyed it... hope you do too!

As the BLUR of Life continues to fly by, I may not get a chance to blog again for a bit... In the next 3 weeks or so I've got visitors coming (my wonderful parents), a not-so-wonderful audit from the city re: a home business permit (don't even get me started on THAT!), a new job to find/acquire (out of +/-200 apps, I was one of 10 to be offered the part-time job I recently applied for, BUT... get this, my background check didn't come in before training began so... back to the drawing board).

And, oh yeah, "This Just In"... We're MOVING too! The opportunity to move into a nicer, bigger house, with more individual work space for each of us AND a big yard (for the same price we're paying now!) just kinda hopped into our laps, so... with little notice, but excited smiles...here we GO! Commence project move!

And so it is that, once again, I find myself swamped but in no position to complain. I hope you, too, find yourself in no position to complain. :)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

10/19/08 Update-- This is just a quick one to let you know that the giveaway has officially come to a close! As it turns out I'm actually away on a yoga photo shoot out of town, but... if I get a chance I will draw winners & do a post on a break or something! If that doesn't work out, I will do it as soon as I return! :)

GOOD LUCK to you all and THANK YOU SO MUCH for supporting my little enviro-giveaway!

I LOVED seeing all the wonderful ideas and support of reusing!!!!

For all those lovely souls who've been following and know me, I'm sure you're wondering (and possibly a bit irate)...

WHAT?!?! Did she really just say "vow NOT to recycle?!" Well, yes, I did. And I'll get to that in a just a wink, but first... I'm bursting to share this... just yesterday I met with a gallery owner and it is confirmed that I am having another gallery showing. BUT, not just another gallery showing... I'm actually the SHOWCASED ARTIST for this one!!!! I can barely believe it and I'm soooo grateful and... just... humbled by my good fortune. I know very talented artists who have waited 10, 15 years for a showcase show, so I'm NOT taking this lightly! But, more on that in a post soon... that is not what this post was scheduled to be, I just couldn't help burst a little... :))

I've promised lots of wonderful people another Giveaway and right now, I'm delivering on that promise... So... the "Vow Not to Recycle" Giveaway:

You're probably thinking that's a pretty shocking statement for one who so openly professes to love the enviroment... one who dedicates her photography (and some of its proceeds) to protecting nature... one who has named this very blog "Beholden to Nature!"

And I answer, unashamedly, YES! I did say that. And yes, I AM holding a givewawy of 3 of my photographs that *requires* you to take a vow not to recycle in order to enter!!

So... what's the deal with that?? Here's the deal... This stems back to my wonderful days of teaching environmental science at Outdoor Science School.

The awareness I'm looking to heighten with this giveaway is that recycling *is* good...But REUSING is better, FAR BETTER!

What I'm asking of you, is to vow NOT to recycle *whenReusing* is a viable option. In other words, yes it is good if you recycle all those bottled water bottles, much better than adding them to a landfill... or to the Texas-sized garbage heap of mostly plastic that is currently floating in our oceans. BUT, recycling all those bottles still requires a lot of energy use, and does release some chemicals into our enviroment in the process.

So... the BEST thing to do for our environment is to SKIP bottled water (and all manner of other "disposables") all-together! Buy a filter for your faucet or your fridge (the fridge variety cost less than $20, and even with the cost of replacing cartridges SAVES money vs bottled water). But more than saving money... it saves lots and lots of plastic water bottles. And when you go somewhere, take your water with you in a stainless steel bottle, like a klean kanteen. As if saving money and the environment weren't reason enough, add your health into the picture. Plastics really are bad for you and really do leech into your water-- that's why, when the bottle gets warm, your water tastes all "plasticy." I can tell you, that does not happen with these... they're made with food-grade stainless steel.

You can look at your daily routine and come up with MANY ways to reuse instead of recycle/dispose... a towel instead of a paper towel, reusable containers instead of plastic bags for storage, etc...

Big fan of your morning Starbucks... or Peet's... or (insert favorite coffee shop here)? Take your own mug! Many of the chains offer a whole line... or you can get one at just about any store. Also, most coffee shops will charge you less per cup if you bring your own mug to fill-- good coffee shops DO reward us for caring about the environment.

I'd LOVE to have this turn into a discussion too-- offer up your ideas for ReUsing instead of throwing things into those garbage or recycle bins!

The Giveaway details...∆∆∆ What's up for grabs? 3 photographs from my shop (your choice, up to 8x12). Only one photograph will be allowed per winner, if you win twice, another winner will be chosen.

∆∆∆ How do you enter?≈VOW to ReUse (instead of recycle or throw-away, whenever possible). *Required to Enter*To do this, simply leave a comment on my blog, stating your vow to reuse. Basically, it's the honor system, and you get the good or bad effects of your own truth or lie. :)

≈Become a follower of my little blog here (also required to enter).

The following are not required, but highly encouraged, and each will earn you an additional entry ;)≈Blog about this giveaway

≈Subscribe to my monthly mailing list (just email me at kennafosterphotography@gmail.com and ask to be added to the newsletter).

≈Follow me on twitter≈Become a fan of my brand new facebook fan page≈Post this button into the sidebar of your blog (or on your webpage, myspace, or Facebook).

**Please leave comments on this blog post indicating each of the things you did (and include a link, if applicable) to get credit for your appropriate number of entries.

Entries will be accepted until... midnight (Pacific time) on Sunday Oct. 18th!HAVE Fun with this and GOOD LUCK! :)

Outside the Box

I prefer not to be confined in boxes... whether physical or metaphorical. I don't want to be placed into some rigid category of who/what I am, and need time outside of physical walls as well. In "blogworld" I tried to check everyone's blogs every day, comment on the new posts, etc... But, I've realized that I need more time "off-line" than that allows.

So... while I may not always reply to everything quickly, please know that I DO read and VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL your comments. They mean more to me than you know.

Who is Kenna?

My story's still being written... chapters include: photographer, whitewater raft guide, educator, traveler... all as a direct result of my life-long passion for the beauty of the outdoors.

Through my work and contribution back to our natural world, I endeavor to aid in the preservation of its splendor.
I contribute to International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), The WILD Foundation, and Blue Earth Alliance and am a member of several other eco-minded organizations as well.

If you would like to purchase any of my images you've seen here and don't see them on my website, please feel free to contact me.